Footsteps
by Otaku4566soulreaper
Summary: 5 years ago, she would've said yes. But now… "I'm sorry Ulrich but the pain…it's still there…." YxU UxY UlrichxYumi YumixUlrich Yulrich


**Now I know what you're thinking, another oneshot? Yes another oneshot…I know I've said that these pointless things won't be written-let alone posted- often but I just like this idea so I'm going with it anyways! Wait what idea? Oh no I've done it again! Diving into a oneshot with almost no clue what I'm doing! Ahh…. HELP! **

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**Too late I've already been sucked in so lets do this thing!**

**Disclaimer: I still (no matter how many times I wish) do not own Code Lyoko…-sniffle-**

_Footsteps in the Sand_

5 years ago, she would've said yes. But now…

"I'm sorry Ulrich but the pain…it's still there…."

-30 minutes ago-

The five seventeen year olds strolled along the beach laughing together as they always had, arms around each other's shoulders and smiling. _The same way it would always be,_ they thought. Odd's face lit up with joy at an idea.

"Princess!" he said, yanking Aelita's arm forcefully and causing her to stumble in the sand, "Let's build a castle!"

"In the sand?" Odd rolled his eyes at her and continued to pull her along away from the group.

"Of course the sand! It's called a sand castle and everyone loves them! Right?" The look he threw to his friends made them all nod vigorously with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. "And we'll all make one together! Or," he grinned and Ulrich knew it was a bad sign, "it can be a competition! Aelita, Jeremy, and I will be on a team and the love birds-" Yumi glared at him viciously, "err- Ulrich and Yumi can be together!" Aelita smiled wide.

"That's a wonderful idea Odd!" the rest of the group, except for Odd of course, looked at the sand around them and sighed in defeat, knowing that they had no choice but to go along with Odd's game, since Aelita would be extremely disappointed if they didn't.

"Right then!" Yumi clapped her hands together decisively and grabbed Ulrich by the arm, even this small gesture making him blush as he still hadn't been able to gather up his courage and ask her out, "Come on little samurai! Let's make us a sandcastle!"

Aelita and Jeremy had already started discussing a blueprint-like layout for their fortress and Odd was left to smirk at Ulrich being dragged away. The brunette looked back at his friend, still blushing and hoping Odd could somehow get him out of this. The blonde haired boy just winked and flashed Ulrich a thumbs up before turning back to his own team, leaving the poor boy to remain in an arm-lock while Yumi babbled about how they were going to crush Odd and Jeremy and how Aelita wouldn't really mind cause she's such a good sport about everything…blah, blah, blah.

Ulrich was fine with tuning out to all of this until she poked his side and asked him, "Isn't that right Ulrich?" Yumi laughed out loud as he stuttered and made excuses, insisting he had been listening but he just wasn't sure about his answer yet. "I know that you weren't listening Ulrich. I was just trying to get you to stutter and make excuses! It's kinda cute…" they both froze as she said that last part but she quickly recovered, letting go of his arm and gesturing to the beach they were visiting.

"It's really pretty here," Ulrich said, going along with the 'nothing happened' charade.

"Mm-hmm," she replied lazily plopping down into the soft sand and tracing circles around herself as she lay back. "So," she looked back up at him, smiling graciously, "let's get to that sand castle shall we?" As she stood up and stretched, getting ready to get down and dirty in the sand Ulrich noticed a large amount of sand covering her back and shoulders.

"Umm, Yumi," she looked at him impatiently as if to say, 'do you want to win or not?'. He wasn't quite sure how to go about this; "You've got sand on your back…" Yumi peered over her shoulder a curious look on her face and furrowed her eyebrows.

"I do, don't I," she looked at Ulrich with a stare that made him nod vigorously. Then she smiled, "Are you gonna do anything about it? I'm trying to build a sandcastle, not become one you idiot." The two laughed as he brushed the soft sand away trying fruitlessly to avoid hurting her. "Sheesh," she sneered once he had finished starting to rub her lower back tenderly, "I wanted you to rub it off not give me a back lift," Ulrich began to stammer again and Yumi just kept laughing, "Come on, let's build a sand castle!"

55555

"Use the sand in that cup to make a tower there!" Jeremy instructed, looking up from his sand blue prints and pointing with a rather sharp stick. The only response the genius boy got was a fit of giggles coming from Aelita who was bouncing along as Odd ran down the beach while giving his girlfriend a piggy back ride.

"Yahoo!" Odd cried, (sounding like a certain arrogant character I know…answer in a review and you get prizes!) "This is really fun isn't it 'Lita?" He looked up at her over his shoulder where she continued to nod smile and giggle happily. The still svelte boy was too busy grinning back to notice a bump in their oh-so-sandy road. Tripping awkwardly he smashed forward and down into the sand, burying his face and sending Aelita flying over him so that they were facing each other elbows touching while they propped themselves up. Both realizing the other was perfectly fine they burst out into a fit of spontaneous giggles causing to Jeremy to roll his eyes and place the sand tower himself. Hadn't it been Odd's idea to have this contest anyways? Oh well, it was good to see Aelita happy. With that, he went back to his blue prints.

55555

Running up from the beach, barefoot at last, Yumi threw down the bucket of wet sand triumphantly placing her hands on her hips and looking down at Ulrich expectantly. Along with her shoes she had discarded her shirt and was wearing a black bikini top with the denim shorts she had shown up in. A small wind blew, rustling her ebony hair and mixing some sand into it.

"Well?" she gestured to the pile of wet sand, pile of dry, bucket of water and bucket of wet sand she had gathered along with some sticks rocks and shells, "Now what? It was your idea for me to get all this stuff anyways…" Ulrich smiled happily up from the ground and patted the space next to him. Yumi rolled her eyes and sat down looking very impatient, "And?" He ignored her and spoke instead.

"Look over there," he said, tipping his chin over to Odd and Aelita who were now running through the sand wildly, kicking up everything from seaweed to shellfish. After collapsing onto the ground the two kissed before standing up and meeting back up with Jeremy who, judging by the cell in his hand, had been texting Millie who he had been dating for about a year since he had discovered that he and Aelita were really brother and sister. (no explanation except for that right here* its at the end) The two were an extremely perfect match, even Yumi had to admit that. But she still didn't understand why Ulrich had made her run around like a maniac to collect all this stuff.

And no, she never suspected that he was procrastinating or just wanted to see her run around in an extremely cute black bikini.

"So once again," she turned to look at Ulrich who was dreading this moment, "Why'd you have me get all this stuff?

"Well, um" he scratched his head uncertainly, "I wanted to ask you something…" Uh-oh. This started the 'RED ALERT' alarm to start ringing in Yumi's head and the 'BAD IDEA' alarm in Ulrich's. But still, he continued.

"I've really wanted to ask you this for a while but just wasn't ever able to because XANA or my pride or even, though I hate to admit it, William always got me thinking it was a bad idea." The oriental girl drew in a sharp breath as he said this and Ulrich notice, but kept pushing forwards anyways. "I really like you Yumi, and not just as a friend. I've been wanting to say this for a really long time but I just was always too afraid to say it. Yumi," he reached for her hand and grasped it causing her to look up from the sand and into his eyes, "Yumi I love you. I always have and always will. Will you go out with me?"

5 years ago, she would've said yes. But now…

"I'm sorry Ulrich but the pain…it's still there…." Yumi let go of his hand and looked down, "Those imprints, from jealousy and…" she trailed off and he knew exactly what she meant because he had felt it too. The jealousy, desire to impress, and constant concern was an overwhelming and always present part to this enormous emotion he felt towards her. Yumi stood up and began to walk away from him, still speaking. "Those imprints from jealously and…are still there, like footprints in the sand." She looked back at him and he stood up.

"Yumi, I felt them too," Ulrich said touching his heart and looking up at the girl he loved, who had turned away once more, "but what you don't realize is that you were too focused on your own pain to notice the footsteps you left on my heart." Hearing him say this, it was too much for her and she turned around, looking at this boy longingly and noticing he was much closer to her then before.

Picking up both of her hands he smiled at her saying softly, "But if they were footsteps," his faced moved close to hers, "they can be erased too." She smiled as he captured her in a kiss. Once upon a time there lived a girl, Yumi thought, who found true love after searching for way too long a time. As they embraced, a small wave came in, washing away all prints from the past.

**Alright! So that's it! Have to get to bed but I promised I would explain the Jeremy/Aelita brother/sister situation. Antea, Aelita's mom, was also Jeremy's mom but got remarried to Franz Hopper. End of story. Jeremy was too cool to go taboo and Aelita was in love with Odd. I hoped you enjoyed this short one shot! Remember to review please!**


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